Yknow, I just got back from the Ontario Pharmacist’s Hockey Tournament last night. It was the 25th annual, and I am proud to say I have not missed a single one in 25 years. There are three things I am passionate about: playing hockey, my profession, and that other thing (for those of you who don’t know what that other thing is, well, I hope you find it and a passion for it, because it is worth it, and passion-wise, sort of definitive. I believe I have left enough clues).The most important thing about this event, however, is it speaks of something that we pharmacists need now, more than ever, and maybe more than anything else—collegiality.This is about pharmacists getting together every once in a while to share a game that has nothing to do with our professions, but everything to do with enjoying each other’s company. And most importantly, it’s about sharing a common bond: what we do for a living.Of course there is lots of pharmacy talk there. Even as classmates and friends who haven’t seen each other nearly enough renew acquaintances and share their lives, there is of course some talk about work. And being pharmacists, we share the frustrations about helping patients, dealing with running a practice, dealing with payers, and the future of our profession. Most importantly, though, it is from a common ground—we are all in this togetherThe game of a hockey is a metaphor for many things. The common ground is everybody has to work together to be successful, and it is never about an individual. A good team will always beat a good individual. And we all compete based on our ability and do our best, and we aren’t supposed to put people off the ice, although a certain dirty player (I use the word player because it may be inappropriate to use the hockey term that as another definition describes what a pin does to your finger when it draws blood) blind-sides an old man with two artificial hips. But not to worry because that old man has been gifted with a good memory, and of course has never missed a tournament, so there is always next year.But I digress. In hockey everybody gets to play, and even though some are better than others, they get their share because there is enough ice time for everybody. And in pharmacy, there is enough business for everybody. Some of you may think ‘yeah, but in hockey you can steal a puck so what is wrong with stealing business?’ In hockey you use skill that comes from practice, preparation, effort and energy to focus on being better at what you do. If as a pharmacist you are really good and provide more skill and effort than someone else then that is in the patient’s best interests, and if they choose you it is all good.But if you undercut your competition, that is a different story and it is a dirty play. As is the case of another Toronto player who tried to undercut (for the uninitiated to hockey, this is someone who leans in low and turns hard in front of you, cutting under your centre of gravity so you fall over) an old man with artificial hips (who will never stop using that excuse) and ended up with someone leaning on his neck with his full substantial weight and then fell to the ice. Dirty business, like dirty hockey, is wrong and deserving of a penalty, or even a (metaphorical) punch in the face. Or maybe not a metaphorical one.Speaking of punches in the face, I commented at the tournament that a punch in the face while playing hockey with my peers is better than any day at work. It is not because I am a particular fan of getting punched in the face (again, metaphorically or otherwise, and the former far too often in my pursuits of my passion for the profession, although, fortunately, not so often in my pursuit of the other thing). It is because I realize that getting together with my peers every once in a while is critical for the success of my profession. It helps us remember we are in this together, not against each other. And for those who think that playing in a hockey tournament pits pharmacists against each other you miss the point—it is not about winning (well, not always). If we did not all come together, there would not be an event to enjoy. If we don’t all come together for this profession, there may no longer be a profession to enjoy.I play hockey three or four times a week. I work five days a week. The other thing is, I am getting older and this is all I can manage now (you see, like hockey, our exploits when relayed to others are somehow magnified in the telling, but it is harmless is it not?). If you spend that much time with something you should endeavour to get all you can out of it. We all share the frustrations of being able to do that, and sharing that through collegiality is as important as sharing the failures and successes.I talked to Mark Scanlon, a pharmacist colleague who started this tournament many years ago, and who has also shared his passion for the profession in many ways, including chairing our provincial College of Pharmacy, about this very thing. He said that he believes this is important, and that we need a lot more of this kind of thing amongst pharmacists. He talked about collegiality in communities of pharmacists helping each other out when our patients are in need, and that this doesn’t seem to happen much anymore. I know our own local pharmacist’s association, which used to host events like golf tournaments and education meetings, died because of business competition issues.This can be corrected. It is not the work of a single person but a community of professionals who need to insist that we are united together to move forward. Our provincial association board chair Sean Simpson was at the tournament too and spoke about that as well. Sure there will be detractors and cynics complaining that it is impossible, and that we have no control anymore, and we are overworked and underpaid and disrespected and so on. And I believe they really feel that way, and the reason is because they are alone, and don’t understand the feel and power of a college of professionals (that college is every one of us) that could set things right by insisting that we all help each other and stop trying to beat each other senseless. It is better for us, and our patients.One of my pickup leagues is filled with a lot of good players, former pros, juniors, and other high-level hockey competitors. For years, while the competition was good, animosity and grudges would build up because the teams were always one group against the other. People were getting injured because of the aggressiveness fostered by this structure. This past year we started mixing up the teams every week, so that sometimes you played with or against each player. It was one of the best years of hockey I played. The competition was better, but the collegiality of knowing the guy who bumps into you or trips you accidentally means it is all taken as good sport.Let's use hockey as a metaphor. If you play alone, it is really no fun. As a group of like-minded professionals, you can have the best year in a long time. Sure, you get push back (I guess if you are going to hockey again, there is going to be less of that other thing. Well, sacrifices have to be made). But you insist that this is part of what you do, and who you are. And I will do it as long as I can, and as well as I can, even if they need to put in artificial parts so I can keep doing it (I told you I would not stop). The reason I do it is because I am the better for it.Put in your effort. Join a team of pharmacists. You will be better for it too.GO TEAM!
